There were two little girls here, that were pleasant companions for me.  One gay, frank, impetuous, but sweet and winning.  She was an American, fair, and with bright brown hair.  The other, a little French Canadian, used to join me in my walks, silently take my hand, and sit at my feet when I stopped in beautiful places.  She seemed to understand without a word; and I never shall forget her little figure, with its light, but pensive motion, and her delicate, grave features, with the pale, clear complexion and soft eye.  She was motherless, and much left alone by her father and brothers, who were boatmen.  The two little girls were as pretty representatives of Allegro and Penseroso, as one would wish to see.

I had been wishing that a boat would come in to take me to the Sault St. Marie, and several times started to the window at night in hopes that the pant and dusky-red light crossing the waters belonged to such an one; but they were always boats for Chicago or Buffalo, till, on the 28th of August, Allegro, who shared my plans and wishes, rushed in to tell me that the General Scott had come, and, in this little steamer, accordingly, I set off the next morning.

I was the only lady, and attended in the cabin by a Dutch girl and an Indian woman.  They both spoke English fluently, and entertained me much by accounts of their different experiences.

The Dutch girl told me of a dance among the common people at Amsterdam, called the shepherd’s dance.  The two leaders are dressed as shepherd and shepherdess; they invent to the music all kinds of movements, descriptive of things that may happen in the field, and the rest were obliged to follow.  I have never heard of any dance which gave such free play to the fancy as this.  French dances merely describe the polite movements of society; Spanish and Neapolitan, love; the beautiful Mazurkas, &c., are warlike or expressive of wild scenery.  But in this one is great room both for fun and fancy.

The Indian was married, when young, by her parents, to a man she did not love.  He became dissipated, and did not maintain her.  She left him. taking with her their child; for whom and herself she earns a subsistence by going as chambermaid in these boats.  Now and then, she said, her husband called on her, and asked if he might live with her again; but she always answered, no.  Here she was far freer than she would have been in civilized life.

I was pleased by the nonchalance of this woman, and the perfectly national manner she had preserved after so many years of contact with all kinds of people.  The two women, when I left the boat, made me presents of Indian work, such as travellers value, and the manner of the two was characteristic of their different nations.  The Indian brought me hers, when I was alone, looked bashfully down when she gave it, and made an almost sentimental little speech.  The Dutch girl brought hers in public, and, bridling her short chin with a self-complacent air, observed she had bought it for me.  But the feeling of affectionate regard was the same in the minds of both.